325es noob build

[BFT_Boyle]

Don't feel too bad yet ,I bought my 86es in sept '15 ,and have been trying to fix a rich running problem for a year and have addressed everything that might have an effect including a new dme ,it is still not running right and not smogged,I have only been able to drive the car for less than 250 miles in all this time ...very depressing..cannot even find a shop that is willing to diagnose an older car ,the car has been to two different shops that both said it was the AFM ,but I have tried three different ones ,and they all functions well in my other 87 ,and electrically check out virtually the same with a battery and meter.

Oh man, that sucks :/. Yeah, I'm really hoping to make this my daily driver. I've got a 2011 Scion xB so I'm not hurting for a DD, but damn that would be disappointing!

Luckily there is a local BMW shop (private not dealer) who does the e30s still. I've already been in contact with them about doing a full inspection for me once I get it out of my driveway.

m.ryangmw.com is the shop.

[1843lamp]

Don't feel too bad yet ,I bought my 86es in sept '15 ,and have been trying to fix a rich running problem for a year and have addressed everything that might have an effect including a new dme ,it is still not running right and not smogged,I have only been able to drive the car for less than 250 miles in all this time ...very depressing..cannot even find a shop that is willing to diagnose an older car ,the car has been to two different shops that both said it was the AFM ,but I have tried three different ones ,and they all functions well in my other 87 ,and electrically check out virtually the same with a battery and meter.

[BFT_Boyle]

The coolant temp sensor for the dme is the first one in line ,closest to the fuel injectors ,the original one for the 2.7 ETA engines was white plastic not blue and more importantly is two pin ,not one ,the single pin brown sensor is for your fuel gauge.The 86-87ES still used the wide brake cooling ducts.

Ah ok. I do have the white one. I'll compare the reading there with what I have at the ECU.

Now, I don't want to sound too optimistic here. But I have a feeling that with my ECU properly grounded, she is going to fire right up. First crank [emoji41]

[1843lamp]

The coolant temp sensor for the dme is the first one in line ,closest to the fuel injectors ,the original one for the 2.7 ETA engines was white plastic not blue and more importantly is two pin ,not one ,the single pin brown sensor is for your fuel gauge.The 86-87ES still used the wide brake cooling ducts.You should have a ground cable attached from the chassis to your oil pan ,the one you show in your picture looks like that one .

[BFT_Boyle]

Ah-ha!!! Here is why this is a noob build... I didn't realize that my main ECU grounds were on that OBD1 (I think that is what this plug is) mount. These were just randomly touching my engine block.



I was getting suspicious when none of my main ground pins on the ECU plug showed conductivity with my ground strap. I attached them to my temporary grounding point and bam! All ground pins show conductivity and my temp sense pin now is reading something. 2kohm or so. [emoji38]

[BFT_Boyle]

That's just the production date.. my cars production date is 09/85 ..but it's an '86

Yeah that's what I figured. Ok so I've got this idea as to what my problem is... So my motronic 1.0 uses only a single pin for the temp sense. Pulls the other half of the reading from ground. My thermostat housing is not fully bolted on yet. Im reading resistance if I touch the sensor pin and the sensor body, but not between the pin and my manifold. I.e. not a complete circuit and my ECU is reading infinite ohms.



I keep reading that the blue sensor is my #1 but this sensor here is the only one on the housing with a single pin just like my ecu pinout shows

[fresh_TD]

I'll double check in a bit. Going to test temp sensor at the ECU plug now.

Hey does your 86 have the brake cooling ducts still? Mine does, but I read on strictlyeta that they ditched the ducts after 85 🤔 .

I went and checked my door label while typing this and the car came out of the factory Oct 85' . Which does make it an 86 as far as the DMV paperwork is concerned

That's just the production date.. my cars production date is 09/85 ..but it's an '86

[BFT_Boyle]

[BFT_Boyle]

Unscrew the rear cover, peel back the board, youll see the chip there. . I just did this last week to install a MarkD chip

I'll double check in a bit. Going to test temp sensor at the ECU plug now.

Hey does your 86 have the brake cooling ducts still? Mine does, but I read on strictlyeta that they ditched the ducts after 85 🤔 .

I went and checked my door label while typing this and the car came out of the factory Oct 85' . Which does make it an 86 as far as the DMV paperwork is concerned

[fresh_TD]

It's an 86. I did remove the top board and all of the chips were soldered including what I am sure is the one for fuel mapping.

I closed it back up but here is the number

Unscrew the rear cover, peel back the board, youll see the chip there. . I just did this last week to install a MarkD chip

[BFT_Boyle]

It's an 86. I did remove the top board and all of the chips were soldered including what I am sure is the one for fuel mapping.

I closed it back up but here is the number

[fresh_TD]

On a somewhat unrelated note, I checked my board and found that I do not have the replaceable chip in my ecu :( I am pretty skilled at soldering though. It does not seem impossible to unsolder and install a chip socket....

What year is your car? I have an '86 and the chip is in between the 2 boards, you have to lift the top board, and you'll see the chip

[BFT_Boyle]

On a somewhat unrelated note, I checked my board and found that I do not have the replaceable chip in my ecu :( I am pretty skilled at soldering though. It does not seem impossible to unsolder and install a chip socket....

[BFT_Boyle]

Found it...

[BFT_Boyle]

Well, I was wrong... I'm on 1.0 still per my 2-row connector. Next question is what I test the water temp pin to. Ground? All the later Motronics show 2 pins :/ I'll keep searching online.